Occupant propelled toy



Aug. 22, 1967 F. A. HUFFMAN, JR

OCCUPANT PROPELLED TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 30. 1965 Fig.

76 Fred ,4. Huffman, Jr

&

INVENTOR.

Aug. 22, 1967 F. A. HUFFMAN, JR F 3,3372% OCCUPANT PROPELLED TOY FiledJune 30. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5 3a /2 ,Frea A. Huffman,/

I02 INVENTOR.

3,337,239 OCCUPANT PROPELLED TOY Fred A. Huflman, Jr., P.(). Box 503,Bloomfield, N. Mex. 87413 Filed June 30, 1965, Ser. No. 468,287 8Claims. (Cl. 280218) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present inventiongenerally relates to a riding toy in the form of a wheeled vehicle whichis occupant propelled.

An object of the present invention is to provide a riding toy which ispropelled by the occupant thereof with the propulsion of the riding toybeing intermittent and responsive to somewhat of a rocking movement ofthe occupant or shifting of the weight of the occupant in a forward andrearward direction for causing intermittent forward motion of the toyvehicle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a riding toy orvehicle of the present invention which employs a ground engaging elementincluding a cam structure associated therewith and associated with thetoy vehicle so that when the occupant of the toy vehicle leansrearwardly or shifts his Weight rearwardly, the cam structure will causeforward movement of the vehicle and subsequently when the occupant leansforward or shifts his weight forward, the cam structure will reconditionitself to an original position so that the next increment of forwardmotion may be imparted by the occupant once again leaning rearwardly orshifting his weight rearwardly thereby producing an intermittent forwardmotion caused -by the occupant shifting his weight to render a camstructure operative for propelling the vehicle and then permitting thecam structure to recondition itself to an initial condition.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an occupantpropelled toy vehicle in accordance with the preceding object in whichthe cam structure includes an inclined trackway carried by a groundengaging element and a roller or wheel carried by the toy vehicle at therear thereof for selectively rolling forwardly and rearwardly in thetrack so that as the wheel rolls forwardly and downwardly, the vehiclewill be propelled and when the rear of the vehicle is lifted upwardly, aresilient element will return the track to its original position bypulling the ground engaging element forwardly.

Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a toyvehicle in accordance with the preceding objects in which the camstructure is in'the form of an eccentric element swingably connected tothe rear end of the vehicle in an eccentric manner so that the groundengaging surface thereof will cause propulsion of the vehicle as thepoint of pivotal connection moves forwardly since it will move in acircular path about the center of the ground engaging element.

Still another feature of the present invention is to provide an occupantpropelled toy vehicle which is simple States Patent 3,337,233 PatentedAug. 22, 1967 in construction, easy to use, highly novel in operationand relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the occupant propelled riding toy of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the construction of FIGURE 1illustrating one increment of forward movement being just completed;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the toy;

FIGURE 4 is a rear view of the toy;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of the toy;

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the toy illustrating thestructural features thereof;

FIGURE 7 is a detailed sectional View taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 7-7 of FIGURE 6 illustrating the structure ofthe wheel rolling- 1y supported in the inclined tracks;

FIGURE 8 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 8-8 of FIGURE 6 illustrating the actualconstruction for supporting the large support Wheels;

FIGURE 9 is a partial side elevational view with portions thereof insection and illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 10 is a View similar to FIGURE 9 but with the modified form ofthe invention at the end of a forward increment of movement; and

FIGURE 11 is a detailed view illustrating the manner in which theresilient return band is attached to the cam structure in FIGURES 9 and10.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generallydesignates the occupant propelled riding toy or vehicle of the presentinvention which includes an elongated relatively narrow body 12 which isconstructed of plastic, wood, metal or the like and may be hollow,partially hollow, or solid in construction. Mounted at the front lowerend of the body 12 is a caster wheel 14 rotatably supported at one endof a curved yoke 16 that is swivelly supported by a supporting structure18 received in a cavity in the body 12 so that the caster wheel 14 mayrotate about an axle 20 and also swivel about a generally vertical axisperpendicular to the axle 20 and offset in relation thereto.

Adjacent the upper surface of the body 12, there is provided asubstantially flat seat 22 for an occupant 24 and the seat 22 issupported by a supporting base or pedestal'26. Disposed forwardly of theseat 22 is a pair of inclined handles 28 which has the forward endthereof extending downwardly as at 30 with both its forward and rearends thereof being secure-d to the body 12 in any suitable manner suchas being secured thereto or embedded therein. Thus, the handles 28 whichare in the form of a pair of generally parallel and laterally spacedrods or tubes may be easily grasped by the hands 32 of of the occupant24.

The feet of the occupant are supported on lateral supports 34 which maybe integral with or glued to the body 12 such as at 36 and at the outerend of each support 34, there is provided an upstanding guard 38 toretain the feet of the occupant 24 in position on the foot support 34.

Extending laterally of the body 12 is an axle housing 40 which extendsunder the foot support 34 and is tubular in nature for receiving theaxle 42 having main supporting wheels 44 journalled on reduced endsthereof with the wheels 44 being secured in place by a retaining cap 46which may be conveniently of the drive-on type.

3 As illustrated in FIGURE 6, the foot support 34 is provided withdepending flanges 48 which serve to anchor and support the axle housing40 in place with the axle housing being secured to the support 34 andflanges 48 in any suitable manner such as by fasteners, clamps, suitableadhesives or the like.

The forward end of the body 12 is provided with an enlarged portion 50forming a simulated head having simulated eyes 52, mouth 54, nose 56 andthe like to increase the desirability of the toy vehicle by simulatingan insect, animal or the like. Extending longitudinally of the body 12is a plurality of reinforcing ribs 58 which rigidifies the body andretains the same in substantially rigid condition. The material fromwhich all of the components is constructed may vary depending upon thecost, durability and appearance characteristics desired in the item.

At the rear of the body 12, there is provided an elongated groove 60communicating with the bottom edge and rear edge of the body 12 with thebottom of the groove 60 being inclined as at 62 from the bottom edge ofthe body 12 just rearwardly of the axle housing to the rear edge of thehousing 12 adjacent the top edge thereof. Extending transversely of thegroove 60 adjacent the rear end thereof is an axle 64 having end caps 66thereon. Rotatably journalled on the axle 64 is a rotatable wheel 68.The axle 64 has spacing elements 70 thereon which engage the innersurface of the groove 60 for reinforcing the same and retaining the sidewalls of the grooves 60 in parallel relation and also serving toposition the wheel 68 in a manner described hereinafter.

Disposed in the groove 60 is a ground engaging element 72 which includesan elongated hollow body 74 having a ground engaging foot 76 at theforward end thereof and a depending rear end portion 78 terminating in apair of outwardly extending ground engaging feet 80 which define agenerally shallow V-shaped notch 82 therebetween. The depending portion78 supports the rear end of the elongated housing 74 at a higherelevation than the front end thereof which has the foot 76 dependingtherefrom and the foot 76 combined with the two feet 80 form generally athree-point engagement of the ground engaging element 72 with the groundsurface.

The interior of the elongated body 74 is hollow and provided with alongitudinal track 84 which receives the roller 68. The side walls ofthe track are designated by numeral 86 and the side walls 86 each have alongitudinal slot 88 formed therein for receiving the axle 64 andenabling the wheel or roller 68 to roll along the inclined trackway 84in a manner described hereinafter.

An elastic or resilient cord or spring device 90 is attached to a loopor eye 92 on the front edge of the traction member 72 and the other endof the resilient member 90 is attached to a depending hook or eye 94carried by the bottom of the body 12 adjacent the forward end thereof sothat when the body 12 moves forwardly in relation to the ground engagingtraction member 12, the resilientmember 90 will be elongated so thatwhen the occupant 24 of the toy vehicle leans forwardly and shifts hisweight forwardly and the traction member 72 is disengaged from theground surface, the biased or stretched resilient member 90 will pullthe traction member 72 forwardly from the position illustrated in FIGURE2 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 6.

In operation of this form of the invention, the occupant 24 willnormally board the vehicle when it is in the condition illustrated inFIGURE 6. He will be seated on the seat 22 and his feet will be placedon the supporting elements 34 and he will grasp the handles 28 and leanrearwardly. This will tend to pivot the body 12 about an axis generallydefined by the wheel axle 42 or about an axis defined at the bottomedges of the wheels. This will exert a downward force on the axle 64 andthe wheel 68. Since the wheel 68 rollingly engages the surface of thetrack 84 which is inclined, the body 12 will be propelled forwardlyinasmuch as the ground engaging ends and 76 will prevent rearwardmovement of the ground engaging member 72. Thus, the vehicle body 12will be propelled forwardly the horizontal length of the slots 88 and atthe same time the rear end portion of the body 12 will lower itself asthe roller 68 proceeds down the track 84 so that the vehicle body 12 andthe traction member 72 will be in the position illustrated in FIGURE 2which represents the completion of an increment of forward movement andit is pointed out that the forward end of the body 12 has been slightlyelevated above the ground surface. Then the occupant 24 will or shifthis Weight forwardly by leaning forwardly during which time he may graspthe forward or downwardly inclined portions of the handle 30 and rockhis body forwardly while remaining on the seat thus causing the body 12to pivot forwardly thus elevating the rear end of the body 12 andlowering the front end thereof which will release the ground engagingmember 72 so that it can move forwardly in relation to the body 12inasmuch as there will be substantially no weight urging the groundengaging member against the ground. As the rear end of the body 12 iselevated, it will elevate the foot 76 from the ground and the feet 80will be slid along the ground surface by the flexible resilient tensionmember which has been elongated during the initial forward increment ormovement of the body 12. Thus, as the resilient member 90 returns to itsnormal position, it will pull the traction member forward at a rapidrate somewhat in the nature of a quick jerk which will rapidly move thetraction member 72 back to its original position illustrated in FIGURE 6so that a subsequent increment of forward movement may be accomplishedby repeating the above described operation.

FIGURES 9-11 disclose a modified form of the above invention which has amodified body 12 having a recess or slot formed in the bottom rearsurface thereof for pivotally receiving an arcuate member 102 on atransverse pivot pin or shaft 104. The arcuate member 102 may besemi-circular in configuration with one end thereof pivoted to the body12' by the pivot pin or axle 104. The surface of the arcuate member 102designated by numeral 106 engages the ground surface and may be providedwith traction producing material such as coating of abrasive material,rubber or the like toprevent slippage. Thus, the surface 106 iseccentric in relation to the pivot axis 104 so that when the arcuatemember 102 is orientated in the position illustrated in FIGURE 9 and avertical force is applied to the body 12' adjacent the rear thereof, thearcuate member 102 will be caused to roll forwardly by virtue of thesurface 106 rolling along the ground surface thus propelling the body12' forwardly an increment of movement as the lower end of each body 12'lowers to the position illustrated in FIGURE 10. Then, by the occupantof the vehicle shifting his weight forwardly in the same manner as inconnection with the device disclosed in FIGURES 1-8, the arcuate member102 is returned to its normal position by a resilient flexible elasticelement 108 similar to the elastic element 90 which is attached at oneend to the body 12' by a hook 110 and which is attached at its other endto the arcuate member 102 by a fastener bolt or other means 112receiving in a recess 114 in the peripheral surface 106 of the arcuatemember 102 so that the surface of the arcuate member will besubstantially constant and the groove is provided in communication withthe recess 114 as designated by numeral 116 to receive the resilientcord 108 when the arcuate member 102 is in the position illustrated inFIG- URE 10. A stop lock 118 is provided in the recess 100 to limit theforward swinging movement of the arcuate member 102 about the transversepin or axle 104 so that the arcuate member 102 will always return to itsnormal position illustrated in FIGURE 9 when the body 12' is pivotedforwardly about the lower edge of the wheels or the axis of the wheels14. The arcuate member 102 serves as a traction member in the samemanner as the member 72 and serves to propel the body 12' forwardly ingenerally the same manner for moving the body in a linear forwarddirection as the lower end of the body is forced downwardly with thetraction element converting a portion of the downward vertical movementof the rear end of the body into forward movement thereof.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An occupant propelled riding toy vehicle comprising a body includingmeans for supporting an occupant thereon, wheel means carried by saidbody inter-mediate the forward and rear ends thereof to enable movementof the body and also forming means by which the body may be tiltedforwardly and rearwardly, ground engaging means connected with a portionof said body in spaced relation to the wheel means for exertinglongitudinal force on said body when the portion of the body with whichthe ground engaging means is associated is moved in a vertical plane bythe occupant exerting a fulcruming force thereon in one direction thusmoving the body longitudinally, and means interconnecting the body andthe ground engaging means for returning the ground engaging means to aninitial position without exerting longitudinal force on the body whenthe portion of the body with which the ground engaging means isassociated is moved in a vertical plane by the occupant shifting hisweight longitudinally of the body to cause the body to fulcrum about thewheel means in the opposite direction, said ground engaging meansincluding a ground engaging member having an inclined trackway thereinwith the upper end of the trackway being remote from said wheel means,said body including a roller journalled thereon in rolling engagementwith the trackway so that when the roller is in the upper end of thetrackway and a downward force is exerted on the portion of the bodyhaving the roller thereon, the roller will roll down the trackway andthe body will move longitudinally.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said body includes spacedmounting members on the lower surface thereof, said roller having atleast a portion thereof received between the mounting members, an axleextending through the roller and supporting the roller from saidmounting members, said ground engaging member having slot means disposedabove the trackway receiving said axle thereby enabling longitudinalmovement of the roller along the trackway and guiding the roller inrelation to the trackway during movement therealong.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein the portion of said bodyremote from said ground engaging member is provided with supportingmeans to engage a supporting surface when the body is fulcrumed aboutthe wheel means to permit return of the ground engaging member to aninitial position.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said body includes anoccupants seat disposed in longitudinally spaced relation to the wheelmeans, and handle means mounted on said body on the opposite side ofsaid wheel means from the occupants seat, and foot supporting memberscarried by said body for receiving the feet of an occupant of the seatto enable shifting of the occupants weight forwardly and rearwardly inrelation to said body.

5. An occupant propelled riding toy vehicle comprising a body includingmeans for supporting an occupant thereon, wheel means carried by saidbody intermediate the forward and rear ends thereof to enable propulsionof the body and also forming means by which the body may be tiltedforwardly and rearwardly, ground engaging means at one end of said bodyin spaced relation to the wheel means for exerting longitudinal force onsaid body when the end of the body with which the ground engaging meansis associated is moved downwardly by the occupant exerting a downwardforce thereon thus moving the body longitudinally, and meansinterconnecting the body and the ground engaging means for returning theground engaging means to an initial position without exertinglongitudinal force on the body when the end of the body with which theground engaging means is associated is moved upwardly by the occupantshifting his weight longitudinally of the body to cause the body tofulcrum about the wheel means, the end of said body remote from saidground engaging means being provided with a supporting wheel, saidground engaging means including a ground engaging member having aninclined trackway therein with the upper end of the trackway beingremote from said body, said body including a roller journalled thereonin rolling engagement with the trackway so that when the roller is inthe upper end of the trackway and the downward forces exerted on the endof the body having the roller thereon, the roller will roll down thetrackway as the body moves longitudinally, said body including aninclined slot communicating with the lower surface thereof with theWalls of the slot journalling said roller, said ground engaging memberhaving said trackway formed in a hollow projection received in said slotwith the trackway being defined by a bottom and parallel side walls,said side walls defining the trackway including slots therein, saidroller being disposed between the slotted side walls and being supportedby a transverse axle extending through the slots and supported in saidbody.

6. The structure as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for returningthe ground engaging member to a normal position includes a flexibleelastic member interconnecting said body and adjacent end of said groundengaging member.

7. The structure as defined in claim 5 wherein said body includes anoccupants seat disposed longitudinally in spaced relation to the Wheelmeans, and handle elements mounted on said body on the opposite side ofsaid wheel means, said body including foot supporting members forreceiving the feet of the occupant whereby an occupant on the seat mayshift his weight forwardly and rearwardly in relation to said body.

8. An occupant propelled riding toy vehicle comprising a body includingmeans for supporting an occupant thereon, wheel means carried by saidbody intermediate the forward and rear ends thereof to enable propulsionof the body and also forming means by which the body may be tiltedforwardly and rearwardly, ground engaging means at one end of said bodyin spaced relation to the wheel means for exerting longitudinal force onsaid body when the end of the body with which the ground engaging meansis associated is moved downwardly by the occupant exerting a downwardforce thereon thus moving the body longitudinally, and meansinterconnecting the body and the ground engaging means for returning theground engaging means to an initial position Without exertinglongitudinal force on the body when the end of the body with which theground engaging means is associated is moved upwardly by the occupantshifting his weight longitudinally of the body to cause the body tofulcrum about the wheel means, the end of said body remote from saidground engaging means being provided with a supporting wheel, saidground engaging means including a ground engaging element including apartially circular peripheral ground engaging surface, means journallingsaid ground engaging member for pivotal movement on said body wherebythe axis of pivotal movement of the ground engaging member is eccentricin relation to the ground engaging surface, means limiting the pivotalmovement of the ground engaging member towards the body so that theperipheral surface thereof will be orientated so that upon downwardforce being exerted on the end of the body to which the ground engagingmember is attached, the ground engaging member will roll on itsperipheral surface thus propelling the body forwardly, said meansreturning the ground engaging means to a normal position including aflexible elastic member interconnecting the ground engaging element andsaid body, said peripheral surface of the ground engaging elementincluding a groove receiving the elastic cord when the ground engagingelement is operative to propel the References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS KENNETH H. BETTS, Primary Examiner.

1. AN OCCUPANT PROPELLED RIDING TOY VEHICLE COMPRISING A BODY INCLUDINGMEANS FOR SUPPORTING AN OCCUPANT THEREON, WHEEL MEANS CARRIED BY SAIDBODY INTERMEDIATE THE FORWARD AND REAR ENDS THEREOF TO ENABLE MOVEMENTOF THE BODY AND ALSO FORMING MEANS BY WHICH THE BODY MAY BE TILTEDFORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY, GROUND ENGAGING MEANS CONNECTED WITH A PORTIONOF SAID BODY IN SPACED RELATION TO THE WHEEL MEANS FOR EXERTINGLONGITUDINAL FORCE ON SAID BODY WHEN THE PORTION OF THE BODY WITH WHICHTHE GROUND ENGAGING MEANS IS ASSOCIATED IS MOVED IN A VERTICAL PLANE BYTHE OCCUPANT EXERTING A FULCRUMING FORCE THEREON IN ONE DIRECTION THUSMOVING THE BODY LONGITUDINALLY, AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE BODY WITHWHICH ENGAGING MEANS FOR RETURNING THE GROUND ENGAGING MEANS TO ANINITIAL POSITION WITHOUT EXERTING LONGITUDINAL FORCE ON THE BODY WHENTHE PORTION OF THE BODY WITH WHICH THE GROUND ENGAGING MEANS ISASSOCIATED IS MOVED IN A VERTICAL PLANE BY THE OCCUPANT SHIFTING HISWEIGHT LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BODY TO CAUSE THE BODY TO FULCRUM ABOUT THEWHEEL MEANS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SAID GROUND ENGAGING MEANSINCLUDING A GROUND ENGAGING MEMBER HAVING AN INCLINED TRACKWAY THEREINWITH THE UPPER END OF THE TRACKWAY BEING REMOTE FROM SAID WHEEL MEANS,SAID BODY INCLUDING A ROLLER JOURNALLED THEREON IN ROLLING ENGAGEMENTWITH THE TRACKWAY AND A DOWNWARD FORCE IS THE UPPER END OF THE TRACKWAYAND A DOWNWARD FORCE IS EXERTED ON THE PORTION OF THE BODY HAVING THEROLLER THEREON, THE ROLLER WILL ROLL DOWN THE TRACKWAY AND THE BODY WILLMOVE LONGITUDINALLY.